Shotgun shell reloader with sizing die and ejector

ABSTRACT

The tool-supporting carriage of a reloader is actuated by a toggle lever system having one of its links provided with an ejector cam. The tools mounted on the carriage include a resizing die having a tubular support, and a relatively reciprocable depriming punch and ejector bolt having a U-shaped cam follower portion in the path of the cam, one leg of said portion projecting through the carriage interiorly of said support and another leg thereof being guided and supported by the carriage to resist a lateral component of cam thrust while providing prolonged cam action in the ejection from the sizing die of the re-sized cartridge.

United States Patent Bachhuber Nov. 7, 1972 [54] SHOTGUN SHELL RELOADER WITH SIZING DIE AND EJECTOR [72] Inventor: Theodore J. Bachhuher, 725 Dayton St., Mayville, Wis. 53050 22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 110,027

[52] US. Cl ..86/32, 86/23 [51] Int. Cl ..F42b 33/04 [58] Field of Search "8 6/23, 25, 29, 32, 33, 38

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,196,736 7/1965 Pace ..86/25 2,807,186 9/1957 Veum ..86/30 X Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-H. J. Tudor Attorney-Wheeler, House & Wheeler [5 7] ABSTRACT The tool-supporting carriage of a reloader is actuated by a toggle lever system having one of its links provided with an ejector cam. The tools mounted on the carriage include a re-sizing die having a tubular support, and a relatively reciprocable depriming punch and ejector bolt having a U-shaped cam follower portion in the path of the cam, one leg of said portion projecting through the carriage interiorly of said support and another leg thereof being guided and supported by the carriage to resist a lateral component of cam thrust while providing prolonged cam action in the ejection from the sizing die of the re-sized cartridge.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SI-IOTGUN SHELL RELOADER WITI'I SIZING DIE AND JECT OR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION In order to combine the re-sizing die with the depriming punch for a single step operation in a reloader, it was found necessary to make the die function over a substantial interval of time to eject the re-sized shell from the sizing die. This, in turn, involves a lateral extension of a cam follower means to be operated on by the ejecting cam, while supporting the cam follower against lateral thrust by engaging it with a portion of the carriage.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In one single stroke of the operating handle to move the carriage toward and from the shell-supporting table, the used shell is prepared for reloading by ejecting the used primer, re-sizing the shell casing and ferule, and discharging the re-sized shell from the sizing die.

A sleeve attached to the platform of the vertically movable carriage of a shotgun shell reloader has a resizing ring at its lower end. The sleeve encircles an ejection bolt reciprocably mounted in a knockout bushing attached to the carriage. The primer ejecting punch is at the lower end of the bolt. Above the carriage a simple and inexpensive cam follower is provided by forming the bolt into a U and flattening the upper surface. From the cam follower surface, one leg of the U extends downwardly through a notch or other guide opening in the carriage, being thereby aligned with the path of the cam and also supported to resist lateral pressure of the ejection cam which, for convenience, and to prolong the camming action, is attached to one of the links of the toggle lever system which operates the carriage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of a shotgun shell reloader equipped with a re-sizing die and ejector in accordance with the present invention, the carriage and die being shown in an elevated position prior to functioning on the shell.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but partially in section, showing the parts in a position in which the depriming punch has just operated to eject the primer from the cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view in section showing the depriming punch and sizing die in their lowermost positions.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the same parts partially retracted with the cam-actuated ejection bolt beginning to function to eject the shell from the sizing die.

FIG. 5 is a detail view in perspective fragmentarily illustrating the engagement of the cam and cam follower, parts being shown on a somewhat enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As disclosed in U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,l57,086 and 3,240,104, the reloader comprises a base which includes a table or platform 12 on which is positioned a used shotgun shell 14 for re-sizing preliminary to reloading. On the column 16, a carriage 18 is reciprocable, being biased upwardly by compression spring 20 and lowered by a handle lever 22 which includes one link 24 of a toggle lever system comprising pivotally related links 24 and 26 connected to each other by a pintle 28. Link 26 is pivotally connected at 30 with the column 16. Link 24 is pivotally connected at 32 with carriage 18. When the handle lever 22 is in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1, the carriage is in its uppermost position.

When the hand lever 22 is moved downwardly to the position of FIG. 2, its extension link 24 is moved toward alignment with link 26, thereby causing downward movement of carriage 18 as indicated by arrow 34.

A cam plate 36 attached to the side of link 24 of the toggle mechanism has a downwardly projecting cam 38 with a rounded cam surface at 40, a cam nose portion 42, and a surface 44 which is approximately at right angles to the link.

' The platform portion 46 of the carriage 18 supports the various tools required in the reloading operation. For the purposes hereof, it is necessary to mention only those tools preliminarily used in depriming and re-sizing. A bushing 48 attached to the platform 46 by a sleeve 50 and lock nut 52 guides the ejection bolt 54 which constitutes one leg of a U-shaped cam follower 56 which has a flat cam follower surface 58 engaged by the cam 38. The bolt 54 is freely reciprocable through the sleeve or bushing 48. For guidance and support against lateral displacement, the leg 60 of the cam follower 56 has guidance from the carriage platform. In this embodiment it passes therethrough in a notch 62 formed in the side margin of the platform as best shown in FIG. 5.

At the lower end of the bolt 54, the deprime punch 64 has an enlarged portion 66 for loose guidance within the shell casing 68. As best shown in FIG. 3, the punch ejects from the metal ferule of shell case 68 the used primer 72. The enlarged follower portion 66 of the punch has a tapered nose 74 for engagement with the end of the shell or the base wad 67 if the shell is provided with such a wad. The arrangement is such that the primer punch and the ejection of the shell from the re-sizing die will function automatically regardless of relative dimensions.

The sleeve 76 attached to the carriage platform 46 supports the re-sizing die 80. FIG. 2 shows the die en route downwardly about the shell casing 68 to a position of engagement with the metal ferule 70 for the resizing thereof. In FIG. 3, the die is in re-sizing engagement with ferule 70 at the bottom of the stroke of the die. In FIG. 4, as shown by arrow 82, the carriage 46 and supporting sleeve 76 and die 80 are in course of upward movement initially carrying with them the shell with which the die 80 became frictionally engaged during the sizing operation illustrated in FIG. 3.

However, as shown in FIG. 4, the cam follower 56 has portion 58 engaged with the cam 38, with the result that the ejection bolt 54 has exerted pressure through the enlarged portion 66 of punch 64 upon the base wad 67 to dislodge the shell from the die 80 and thereby to discharge the shell from the sizing apparatus.

A major factor in enabling the ejecting mechanism to function regardless of the presence of, or the height of, a base wad is the lateral extent of the cam follower surface 58. The provision of guidance surfaces such as the sides of the notch 62 in FIG. 5 gives support to the cam follower portion 56 of the ejection bolt thus protecting the bolt against lateral deformation notwithstanding the extent of lateral thrust exerted thereon by the cam 38 over the relatively long cam surface.

To summarize the operation:

A shotgun shell 14 is placed under the depriming punch and re-sizing die as shown in FIG. 1. Thereupon the handle 22 is depressed to lower the carriage 18. The cam nose 42 engaged with cam follower surface 58 on the ejection bolt forces the primer from the used shell but allows continued handle-induced motion of the carriage 18 to force the re-sizing die 80 over the ferule of the cartridge.

On the return stroke, the cam is not initially engaged with the cam follower surface 58 at the upper end of ejection bolt 54. Consequently, the ejection bolt does not interfere with the upward movement of the re-sized shell with the die 80 and carriage 46 until the shell is free of the supporting table 12.

In the continued upward movement of the carriage, the returning movement of link 36 of the toggle lever mechanism again engages the cam follower surface 58 with nose 42 of the cam 38, whereby the ejection depriming punch remains relatively stationary during continued upward movement of the re-sizing die, with the result that the re-sized shell is discharged from the die, while the die and its supporting sleeve 76 continue their upward movement with the carriage.

I claim:

1. In a shell reloader having a relatively movable tool carriage and support for a fired shell having replaceable primer, and actuating means for efiecting relative approach and retraction of the carriage and support, the combination with said carriage, said support, and said actuating means, of means operable in a single such approach and retraction for completely reconditioning said shell for reloading, said last means including a primer ejector, a shell re-sizing die, and a means for discharging the shell from the die, said re-sizing die being mounted on a supporting sleeve connected with the carriage and the primer ejector comprising a rod reciprocable relative to the carriage and extending through said sleeve and provided above the sleeve with a cam follower, the actuating means including a lever having upon it a cam engageable with said follower in a direction opposite to the direction of relative retraction of the carriage and sleeve.

2. A shell reloader according to claim 1 in which the said rod has a U-shaped portion with a surface constituting said cam follower.

3. A shell reloader according to claim 2 in which the U-shaped portion of said rod includes a depending leg for which said carriage provides guide surfaces.

4. In a shell reloader having a relatively movable tool carriage and support for a fired shell having replaceable primer, and actuating means for effecting relative approach and retraction of the carriage and support, the combination with said carriage, said support, and said actuating means, of means operable in a single such approach and retraction for completely reconditioning said shell for reloading, said last means including a primer ejector, a shell re-sizing die, and a means for discharging the shell from the die, said actuating e com ris' iv tall 0 nnected links res ec ivel? p ie ted t8 sai d c rriage n to a support upoh w ich said carriage is guided, the link pivoted to said carriage having a handle extension and being provided with a cam, the primer ejector being reciprocable with respect to the carriage and having a portion movable through the re-sizing die, and being provided with an exposed cam follower with which said cam is engaged in a predetermined range of handle positions.

5. A shell reloader according to claim 4 in which a U- shaped part of said rod constitutes said cam follower and has a relatively flat cam-engageable portion.

6. A shell reloader according to claim 5 in which said carriage provides a notch having guide surfaces and a U-shaped portion of said rod comprises a depending leg engaged with said surfaces for support and guidance.

7. A shell reloader according to claim 6 in which said rod has an enlarged portion adjacent its lower extremity which is slideable within a shell and constitutes said means for discharging the shell from said sizing die. 

1. In a shell reloader having a relatively movable tool carriage and support for a fired shell having replaceable primer, and actuating means for effecting relative approach and retraction of the carriage and support, the combination with said carriage, said support, and said actuating means, of means operable in a single such approach and retraction for completely reconditioning said shell for reloading, said last means including a primer ejector, a shell re-sizing die, and a means for discharging the shell from the die, said re-sizing die being mounted on a supporting sleeve connected with the carriage and the primer ejector comprising a rod reciprocable relative to the carriage and extending through said sleeve and provided above the sleeve with a cam follower, the actuating means including a lever having upon it a cam engageable with said follower in a direction opposite to the direction of relative retraction of the carriage and sleeve.
 2. A shell reloader according to claim 1 in which the said rod has a U-shaped portion with a surface constituting said cam follower.
 3. A shell reloader according to claim 2 in which the U-shaped portion of said rod includes a depending leg for which said carriage provides guide surfaces.
 4. In a shell reloader having a relatively movable tool carriage and support for a fired shell having replaceable primer, and actuating means for effecting relative approach and retraction of the carriage and support, the combination with said carriage, said support, and said actuating means, of means operable in a single such approach and retraction for completely reconditioning said shell for reloading, said last means including a primer ejector, a shell re-sizing die, and a means for discharging the shell from the die, said actuating means comprising pivotally connected links respectively pivoted to said carriage and to a support upon which said carriage is guided, the link pivoted to said carriage having a handle extension and being provided with a cam, the primer ejector being reciprocable with respect to the carriage and having a portion movable through the re-sizing die, and being provided with an exposed cam follower with which said cam is engaged in a predetermined range of handle positions.
 5. A shell reloader according to claim 4 in which a U-shaped part of said rod constitutes said cam follower and has a relatively flat cam-engageable portion.
 6. A shell reloader according to claim 5 in which said carriage provides a notch having guide surfaces and a U-shaped portion of said rod comprises a depending leg engaged with said surfaces for support and guidance.
 7. A shell reloader according to claim 6 in which said rod has an enlarged portion adjacent its lower extremity which is slideable within a shell and constitutes said means for discharging the shell from said sizing die. 